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European Parliament votes to boost counter-terrorism measures

Xinhua, February 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Parliament (EP) on Wednesday voted to bolster counter-terrorism efforts within the European Union (EU) while maintaining privacy rights for individuals.

Measures proposed in the resolution include heightened security at external borders and improved cooperation and data sharing to aid law enforcement authorities and EU agencies to protect the public against terrorist threats.

The resolution also highlighted the need for greater efforts to confront what has been seen as a "growing threat" by Europeans who return after training and fighting with terrorist groups abroad. In a report on January 26, the International Center for the Study of Radicalisation (UK) estimated nearly 4,000 European-born fighters are currently in Syria and Iraq.

The proposals include a "multi-layer" approach to fighting radicalization, with programs to invest in educational and social schemes, counterbalances for online incitement, the disruption of financial support mechanisms for terrorist groups, and de-radicalization programs.

These measures carry particular weight after January's terrorist attacks in Paris, which were carried out by French nationals, one of whom had spent time in Yemen, where he was suspected to have received training and financial support.

The push for greater security, however, "must not compromise fundamental rights," says the resolution, with proposals for how checks and limitations on data collection and surveillance measures should maintain the rights of European citizens.

The limits of counter-terrorism measures were underlined by another resolution passed on Wednesday, which announced that the EP would resume investigations into allegations that several EU countries aided the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in illegal counter-terrorism operations.

Investigations had already begun in 2006 by an EP temporary committee, but will be resumed in light of a US Senate report published in December 2014 which details the use of torture by CIA agents, and alleges that several EU nations hosted so-called "black sites" for the interrogations.

The EP condemned the "gruesome interrogation practices" used by the CIA, and called for an end to impunity for officials and participants involved in the scheme, including alleged collaborators from the EU. Enditem